Jolteon
by FF.netfanHANNAH
Summary: Something that may explain Ash's father's absence. Complete fan fiction. Rating: k. Only 3 Chapters. Complete. No Shipping involved, unless there's a name for Ash's parents.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Now here is a chapter that was difficult to write seeing as I had the main parts of it but had no hope of joining them all together to make one coherent chapter. But I tried and this is the results. Also I made up the name of the town because finding somewhere they haven't been is physically impossible especially when you don't play all the games. Hope you like...**

**Ash's Father:**

Ash, Brock and Pikachu have been travelling through the Hoenn region for seven months now. Both of them have been itching for something exciting to happen what are normally eventful travels has become exceedingly uneventful since Sinnoh. But I bet they didn't think this was going to happen...

Exactly seven months since they left home, the trio come across an unfamiliar sight. Their last travels in Hoenn did not bring them to this small town of Messelburge Town. This small town was not like those they had seen before. Being off the main path there was only a small Pokémon centre and due to the lack of visitors, they only had one room free out of their three rooms. I further view of the town revealed that it was a mostly self-reliant village with the only need to travel out of town being to fix their cars that they barely used.

In this small town there were crop fields, a windmill powered by a pristine river that flowed right through the centre of the town. A bridge connected the two halves of town where there were no shortage of friendly faces. A lack of tourists or visitors had not dampened the spirits of the residents of this town. Regardless of the size, they were lucky to come across the small town because it was nearing nightfall.

Upon entering the Pokécentre, Brock's eyes fell upon the resident Nurse Joy and he was immediately propelled forwards by his desire to talk to the pink haired nurse. He leaded over the counter separating them and grasped her hands.

"Oh My, Nurse Joy, you are the prettiest Joy I have seen, for your eyes sparkled like a million stars in the darkest of the nights sk-AH." His short speech was brought to a stop as Croagunk used his poison jab against the in-training breeder and dragged him away from the confused Nurse Joy.

Ash, laughing at his companions actions stepped up to the front of the counter. "Hello Nurse Joy. I was hoping we could book a room for the night."

Nurse Joy drew her attention to the younger trainer in front of her and smiled kindly. "Of course. You're in luck, only one room left."

"Really." The shock was evident upon Ash's face.

"Hmhm. We only have a few rooms due to the lack of travellers through here. The Pokécentre only exists here because of the wild Pokémon that can be quite aggressive sometimes. So be careful in the woods around here."

"We will." Ash nodded and took the key Nurse Joy was handing out to him. She showed them the way to their rooms and the trainer and breeder made their way to them, settling in for the night.

Ash had trouble sleeping that night. Since his arrival, which was only a few hours ago, he had this nagging feeling that there was something wrong. Something he needed to remember, or rather find out. When the time on his Pokédex read he knew he wasn't going to get any sleep in for tonight and really needed to use the bathroom. On his way he opened the window on the far side of the room to let some of the heat that had built up exit and a cool breeze to enter.

Upon re entering the bedroom Ash, whose vision was slightly affected by the fact that he had just had a light on, heard a ruffling coming from the other side of the room. He figured it was Brock getting something from his bag, but looking at his companions bed, found it to be occupied, then he realised that Pikachu, the only other possible culprit for the noise, was still sleeping on his bed. Trying to focus his eyes he spotted in the corner of the room movement and a rustle of what sounded like clothes on top of it. He reached in the bathroom for the light switch and upon finding it unleashed a yellow beam into the room. This illuminated the culprit who turned out to be a Zubat and a Banette.

"Hey." Ash shouted at the two Pokémon, more so to scare them off than anything else, but when they took off with what they had been rooting through – his back pack – out the window, Ash too headed out. He took the same root as the two Pokémon, through the window. Ash's feet were just slipping out of sight by the time Brock and Pikachu realised what were going on, but they opted for a safer root of the front door.

Zubat and Banette lead Ash through the town and into the woods. He didn't want to wake any members of the town so he waited until they wer in the forest to shout after the two Pokémon, who very surprisingly quick.

"Hey, give me back my backpack!" He shouted in the direction the Pokémon seemed to have been running, but couldn't actually see them. He paused for a few minutes to find some trace of where they had gone, which gave both Brock and Pikachu enough time to catch up with him.

"Ash, what's going on?" Brock asked, trying to catch his breath as he leant forward on his knees.

"A Zubat and Banette broke into our room. When I turned the light on and shouted at them, they took off with my backpack." A rustle in the bushes ahead caught Ash's attention and as he took a few steps forward he was attacked with what appeared to be a peach. Then again, then again. After a fourth hit, the Zubat flew out of the tree and down the path while the Banette jumped out the bushes, bag no longer in hand and took off after his buddy. It didn't take long for Ash to follow pursuit, no longer after his backpack which he spotted peeking out from the tree.

"Hey come back here you two." In his tired state he rushed after the two Pokémon, Brock and Pikachu on his six.

As the three of them ran through the forest after the troublesome Pokémon, they came to edge of trees and saw they had run straight into a graveyard. They paused for not even a second before they continued after the Pokémon, in clear view seeing as most of the objects where barely a metre high.

As they ran past graves, something caught Ash's eye, a word written on a gravestone. He stopped running, almost causing Brock to run into him, and back tracked a few steps. Once he read what was inscribed upon the stone he was frozen, unable to move.

"Ash, come on. They're getting away." Brock shouted, but it fell upon deaf ears as the young trainer fell to his knees in front of the grave. "Ash?" Brock made his way back to his friend, fear and worry filling him. It wasn't until he read the gravestone that he realised.

Scorn into the stone was a name Ash had become familiar with and Brock could only guess why for it read _Brandon Ketchum_.

**A/N: O.k. I wanted to end it here because I thought it was a real **_**dundundun**_** moment. But the next chapter is following right here because I was on a roll and just continued writing. Not to mention this chapter is pretty short. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: As I said, next chapter already here...**

**Next chapter:**

All thoughts of catching the Pokémon were gone from his head as Ash looked at the gravestone. For years he had thought that his father had gone off on his own Pokémon journey and abandoned him and his mother, but here he saw that it was not true. The date of death read only a month before he was born. The first thought that rose into his head was that maybe, just maybe his father hadn't abandoned him after all.

Ash stayed sat in front of the grave, silent, for a few hours. Brock was beginning to get worried about him when he didn't speak and decided perhaps it was time they headed back into town.

"Ash. It's dark. Maybe we should head back to the Pokécentre before Nurse Joy locks up." Ash merely nodded, climbing to his feet and walking back towards town without saying a word.

His behaviour scared Brock, because no matter whether he was scared, sad, or worried he would still talk to someone if not himself. Pikachu was worried too when they got back. The electric Pokémon, not having been strong enough to follow picked up on his trainer's behaviour and did not know what to make of it. When Ash walked past him, giving him a sad smile under it hat, Brock picked up the electric Pokémon and tried to explain to him.

Pikachu followed Ash to his room and hopped up onto the bed where Ash was currently lay.

The next morning, Ash woke up to find Pikachu lay across his chest, the small Pokémon fast asleep. Smiling, he carefully lifted his Pokémon from his chest and rested him on the bed, before dressing for the day. Ash was about to leave when he heard a voice from the bed.

"Pika?" Pikachu was sat up now, looking worriedly over at his trainer.

"I'm fine Pikachu. Come on, it's breakfast time." Ash's tone did not seem to display any problems so Pikachu cheered happily and jumped from the bed and up onto his trainer shoulder.

Ash met Brock downstairs and the two friends sat together for lunch.

"Are you o.k. Ash?" The younger boy looked up at the older to see a concerned glance passing over him.

"Um...yeah I guess. It was just a shock is all. All these years I thought he had abandoned us and was still alive. To find out he died before I was even born, it brings up so many new questions." The teen shrugged his shoulders and continued with his breakfast.

"I know it's not my place and all, but after your reaction last night, I guessed you must have been feeling this way and I asked Nurse Joy if she could shed some light on the situation." Brock waited for a response from Ash, expecting some sort of glare or anger from butted in on private matters, but he only seemed expectant and...nervous. So Brock continued. "She said that she doesn't know much but there's a woman who lives in a house near the church. She's sort of an historian of the town and Nurse Joy said if anyone was to know anything it would be her."

Ash nodded but stayed silent for a few minutes. It wasn't until he had finished eating that he spoke again. "Do you think we should go and see her? See if she knows what happened. Or if it's even the same person."

"It's up to you."

Ash decided he wanted to go and see if this woman knew anything and the two friends headed off the house shortly after. If she lived by the church, Ash, Brock and Pikachu had to go through the woods to get to where she lived, meaning their journey seemed to take much longer as they had to dodge a wild Pokémon that seemed a little more agitated than most they had come across.

Upon reaching the house, which was practically at the other end of town, Ash began to become hesitant. Brock, seeing this, tried to relax his friend.

"Don't worry Ash. It can't be as bad as all the things you thought before. At least now you know that he didn't leave of his own choice."

"How do you know that?" It was obvious what he was hinting at, but Brock decided to ignore the comment and knocked on the door in front of them. A little shuffling and an elderly woman opened the door.

"Why hello. And how can I help you two young boys today?" the woman was a head shorter than Ash, though if she stood up straight she would probably be at eye level with him, and she wore a flowery apron over a blouse and long skirt.

"We were wondering if you could tell us about a particular grave we came across in the graveyard last night."

"Oh, and which grave might that be?"

"His name was Brandon Ketchum." The woman froze, but just for a few seconds, before she composed herself and ushered the two boys in the room. She gestured for the two boys to take a seat on an old, withering couch in the main room.

"And what has spouted this stream of curiosity, hm?" She questioned to two, taking a seat in an armchair opposite them.

Brock gestured for Ash to tell the woman and he began stuttering. "Well...he...it might be my..."

"Your father?" At the shocked look from the two boys she smiled as her suspicions were confirmed. "Yes, I can see him in you. You look an awful lot like him. Except his hair was a lot shorter than your own, still very scruffy and he had green eyes, not brown ones like you do. But still, the resemblance is uncanny. He would have been so happy to meet you."

The two boys looked confused and uncomfortable at the elderly woman. "Oh, there I go again. Speaking about what I shouldn't. What is it you boys would like to know, hm?"

Ash felt the words get caught in his throat. _How did he die?_ It was a question he burning to ask, but couldn't. His throat was closing up and he lost the ability to talk at all. Thankfully Brock jumped in and asked the question for him.

"It was a sad occurrence as most death is. You see, the story actually started off from a small legend. I think maybe I should start with that first so you two understand what I say.

"About seventeen years ago a strange man came to this town. He asked many members of the town to join him in the inevitable war that was too come. Members of the town told him we were not the fighting kind and we liked to stay out of everyone's way. Naturally he was not happy with that answer. He called his followers to attack the town. And that they did. It wasn't until a trainer, I'd say not many years older than you faced him. He brought with him a Jolteon, a strange Pokémon to those of us who have lived in this Town our whole lives. Sure we go to larger towns from time to time and knew of the existence of other Pokémon, but still, from what I hear they are rare enough as it is. Anyway I'm getting off topic." She readjusted herself in her seat and the Ash and Brock awaited for her to continue.

"Well, this trainer, he faced against this strange man and won. But he did not take it lightly. You see, these two men knew each other, because they referred to one another by name but for the life of me I cannot remember it, and the loss hit the man and he said he'd be back. Naturally we feared, but the trainer seemed unfazed by the threat, as if he had expected it. We thanked him and asked of his name, which he told us. Brandon Ketchum. And we told him he was more than welcome for saving the town from complete destruction. He took up the offer and stayed a few days, saying that he was going to defend the town when the strange man returned. Of course he did. And when he did, he came with might. The man came in the morning, at first light, but by the time the sun was up Brandon had defeated him. He had to use all his Pokémon, and they all ended up in the Pokécentre shortly after the fight, but not his Jolteon. I'd never seen such a strong, resilient Pokémon.

"But the battle wasn't over. One of the town's people said they had seen this man with more of his foot soldiers, returning to finish the job. So with only his Jolteon by his side, he went out to meet the man. No one knows what happened, but when hours had passed until the sun began to set and Brandon or the man had not returned a search was set. He was found at the base of the cliff on the ground. His Jolteon was nowhere to be found, but neither was the strange man. Whatever had happened, Brandon Ketchum saved the town and gave his life in the process." Ending on that sad note, the elderly woman bowed her head in respect and Ash found that he could not take his eyes away from the ground or say anything. Brock, seeing this, took initiative and thanked the woman for telling them what happened.

Before they left Ash asked the woman one last question. "What makes you say he would have been happy to meet me?" His voice was more than a mumble, but she smiled upon hearing the question.

"He told me. On the second day he was hear I saw him stood on the bridge looking worried, but yet happy. My curiosity got the better of me and I asked what he was thinking. He told me his wife had called and told him good news. They were expecting a little baby. The joy and pride in his face when he said that...hard to think he wouldn't have been happy to meet you. It's a sad thing that you never got to meet him." Again she adopted a sad expression before the two boys said goodbye to her and made their way back to the Pokémon centre.

As the trio walked back through the forest, Brock spotted something along the side of the pathway.

"Hey Ash, look here." Brock knelt to the ground next to a purple and blue flower.

Ash joined him on the ground. "It's a time flower. I wonder what it's seen." Noting the closed leaves, Ash reached out to the flower and as his fingers grazed the petals, the flower opened, showing an image from the past.

In the hologram like image a man that seemed to be around the same age as Brock came running up the path they had just taken, followed by a Jolteon. The man stood now taller than Brock, with dark, dishevelled hair and green eyes. The likeness to certain teenage trainer was so apparent that they wasted no time in identifying him.

"Ash, could that be..." Brock trailed off in shock as the holographic man stopped a few feet ahead of them, his Jolteon as his side, staring at the path ahead of them. "If the time flower was activated to sow this moment, does that mean he can control Aura too?" Brock asked his younger companion, though his knowledge on the subject was equal, but Ash wasn't paying attention to Brock. He was watching the other man, eyes moving from where he stood to the path ahead.

"_You ready Jolteon?" _Ash and Brock gasped in shock at how much the man before them sounded like Ash. There was no doubt who he was. The Jolteon nodded its head, growling as a rumbling could be heard ahead. All eyes, both hologram and real, fell on the trail before them.

Around the corner a group of six men appeared, all dressed in identical outfits of black and grey, wearing hats that shielded their faces. Upon spotting the man stood in the middle of the path, they all stopped and brought out Pokéballs, releasing their Pokémon – which consisted of multiple Golbat, Houndour and Raticate - and preparing for battle. But a voice called out stopping them.

"_Hold it. Brandon, do you really think you can fight us all off. I happen to know that your Pokémon are resting in the Pokécentre and the only Pokémon you have is you Jolteon." _A figure emerged from the group in black and grey, revealing a figure dressed in a brown suit jacket.

Brandon gave no verbal answer, but his lack of movement showed that he had no intention of backing down. Brock and Ash just watched the past replay itself, knowing this would not end well but being helpless all the same.

"_Very well then."_ The man in brown snapped his fingers and all the Pokémon attacked.

"_Jolteon, used Thunder!" _A single strike and all their adversaries Pokémon were down. But the fight was not over as all the men dressed in grey and black ran back the way they came, with no sight of their leader. Brandon nodded to Jolteon and the two took off down the side of the path and a torrential hill, causing the time flower to deactivate and close back up.

Ash and Brock stood in shock of what they had seen. Sure they had come across some really strong Pokémon, but for one attack to take down all those Pokémon...

Ash was first to move, running down the way that the past Brandon had taken.

"Ash, where are you going?" Brock shouted after him as he and Pikachu followed the younger trainer down from the path. At the bottom of the hill, Ash stood and surveyed his surroundings. In front of him was a large field of long grass, with a rocky cliff to the left of them. To the side, a drop. _If I was chasing someone, here would be when I attack them._ With that thought in mind, Ash scanned the ground hoping to find another time flower to tell him what happened. His luck was with him. As Brock and Pikachu reached him, Ash stepped forward a few steps and knelt to the ground, activating a second time flower.

Soon the scene before them was occupied by more than just Ash, Brock and Pikachu. Brandon and the leader from before were stood acing one another, preparing to battle.

"_Go, Machamp, Rhyhorn, Golem." _An evil smirk appeared on the other man's face. Three rock against one electric, whose electric attacks won't do a thing to them. _"Golem Tackle." _

The giant boulder Pokémon was heading straight for the much smaller, electric Pokémon. Though Jolteon was faster and easily dodged the attack, but was hit when Machamp threw a punch straight at the smaller Pokémon. It flew across the ground, skidding to a stop not a few feet away from the drop that would surely kill anything that fell down that way.

"_Jolteon use Quick Attack." _The electric Pokémon ran straight to the Golem and collided with enough force to knock the Pokémon to the ground, though it did not defeat the Pokémon. Ash and Brock watched in awe at the sight as the electric Pokémon took on two ground type and a fighting type Pokémon, without gaining a single scratch but doing minimal damage. _"Jolteon use thunder." _The attack aimed straight at Machamp and caused the Pokémon, already with damage, to flinch, enough so that when Jolteon used quick attack the Pokémon went down. But like Golem, this Pokémon was not out yet. And Jolteon was getting tired.

"_Your attacks are useless against my superior Pokémon."_ That grated Ash when people spoke of Pokémon that way, and both Brock and he could see that Brandon took it the same way. _"Time to end this."_

The battle had moved to the cliff base and so the next attack that Rhyhorn used had tremendous effect that no one saw coming. _"Rhyhorn, tackle." _The ground Pokémon charged at the smaller electric type, but Jolteon dodged the attack and went crashing in the cliff face. But despite the miss of target, the other man was smirking again, much as he had done when he released his Pokémon with higher levels and type advantage.

The cliff began to crumble and rocks were flying down from the face, making a beeline for Jolteon. Though before any could come in contact with the Electric Pokémon, a blue shield surrounded the Pokémon, protecting it from the danger of the falling debris. The man in brown, along with Ash and Brock, looked in shock at Brandon as he kept his hands held high, glowing a pale blue light as he was using Aura.

The other man had no idea what was happening, but Brock and Ash did, and both could see the toll it was taking on him to protect his Pokémon from such a collision. Like Ash, he could manipulate Aura, but had no training in it. Once the debris had finished falling, Jolteon was seemingly buried, but as Brandon furthered the distance between his hands, the rocks exploded, revealing the unharmed Pokémon and causing the rocks to fly towards the other Pokémon.

The other man, seeing this feat, returned his Pokémon to their Pokéballs, and turned hightail and ran as Brandon collapsed to the floor, his energy waning. Jolteon rushed over to his master's side and the man collapsed fully to the ground. The electric Pokémon nudged his trainer, who turned his head, but soon flashed a bright blue colour and returned to normal. Ash knew what that meant, he had seen twice before. Once also in a time flower as he watched Sir Aaron, and a second time in the present as he watched Lucario, both having used their strength and ability to manipulate Aura to save the Tree of Beginnings.

Brandon tried to stand, but once again became distorted, like an old television on the blink, and collapse to his knees, a worried Jolteon by his side. Brock glanced to his side and saw Ash, staring aimlessly at Brandon, his father, as they watched what the assumed to be his last few minutes. They heard Brandon mutter a few words, but did not hear what before the image in front of them disappeared and the two, along with Pikachu, were left in the clearing, rocks having grown moss and other such grass a top of them so they no longer resembled rocks but green hills.

Now they finally knew what had happened.

Ash sat once again silent when Brock, Pikachu and himself returned to their rooms at the Pokécentre. First he finds out that his father is dead, and then he finds out that he never abandoned his mother or himself, and then he discovers the truth. More than that, he sees with his own two eyes how his father died. What scared Ash the most was how alike he was to his father. The man who he had always hoped he never turned out to be, was actually one of the good guys. Trying to save a small town from being taken over by an evil organisation and used for recruitment in to a war, he gave his life. But one question resounded in his head. _Is that my future? _

**A/N: Tada, what do you think. I know it's little random to throw in the whole Aura and Time Flower thing, but I wanted a witness to what happened to Brandon and seeing as I had written that no one had seen it and couldn't be bothered to change it, I thought I'd throw it in. Though it was little mean for Ash to see the demise of his father. But it's kinda cool that Aura passes down through the family, though I did accidently make it seem like a male thing, which I didn't want it to be. Aw well, I'll change that at some point. Anyway, hope you liked it. Please review. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: O.k. Here's the next chapter. I am going to say once again the name Messelburge Town is made up purely for the purposes of this fic. **

**Next Chapter:**

"Well hello Brock. How are you?" Brock was sat at the videophone with Delia on the other end. He had hoped that at this early hour Ash would not be likely to wake up soon and Delia would already be awake. With Ash having kept up his silence Brock was beginning to worry and felt that of all the people, Ash's mother should be the one he talked to.

"I'm fine Mrs Ketchum, but something has happened and I was wondering if I could ask you a question?" Immediately Brock realised he should have worded that better.

"Oh my, is Ash o.k.?" Delia sighed with relief when Brock assured her Ash was perfectly safe, and she pushed on for the question.

"What does Ash know of his father?" The question received no immediate reply from Delia. Of course, Brock knew this would be a tough subject because at best Delia knew the truth and Brock wouldn't have to break the news, but at worst, she believed that her husband had left her to raise Ash and continue his Pokémon Journey unhindered. It made Brock feel guilty which he saw as the best scenario.

"Ash's father. He...well...he was on his Pokémon journey. He took a break for us to get married, and then he continued on it, hoping to one day become a Pokémon master. I see so much of him in Ash, that it worries me sometimes because after he reached Messelburge Town in the Hoenn region, he never contacted me again. It was only after I told him about Ash's existence. I'm don't know what happened to him after that, but I'm pretty sure it's my fault that he never contacted home again." Delia was on the verge of tears after saying this, and Brock found it increasingly difficult to reveal the truth of why he never contacted her again. On the one hand Brock could reassure her that he didn't abandon her and planned on returning home before Ash was due to arrive. But then he would also be telling her that her husband was dead and that she would have to give up any remaining hope of ever seeing him again.

"It wasn't your fault Mrs Ketchum. Trust me." As Brock's words sunk into the mind of the worried mother, she understood what he was getting at.

"How do you know Brock?" The former gym leader come breeder in training took in a deep breath before responding to the dishevelled woman.

"We found his grave." Brock said, so low he was anxious about whether Delia heard him or if he had to repeat himself. His head hung low he peeked at the screen and saw the older woman with tears streaming down her face, but trying to remain composed.

It took a few minutes, but when Delia was sure she could speak again she only whispered one word. "_We_?" She broke down in tears once again when she saw Ash stood behind Brock, a sad and worried expression upon his own face.

Brock turned in his chair, shocked at the new arrival and sure that he would still be in their room this early in the morning. "I'm sorry Ash. But you were starting to scare me and I wanted to know why." Ash simply nodded and took Brock's seat when he stood to leave the mother and son alone to have this discussion.

Ash regaled the story, bit by bit, of how they found the grave when chasing after some troublesome Pokémon. How they saw the woman who told them what happened, but left out the part about the time flowers and Aura, feeling that she didn't need to know that much. At least not over a videophone.

Once the explanation was over, Delia ensured that her son was taking the news o.k. and that Brock would be there to help him (though the last bit her son did not know) before signing off.

Pikachu hoped up on to the side and attempted to comfort his trainer. Ash smiled lightly at his Pokémon partner and patted him on the head before standing and confronting Brock.

"I think it's time you talked." Ash merely nodded in response. "Why don't we pack up and you can talked about it on the way." Again Ash nodded, this time adding and "O.k. Brock." to it.

The two boys and Pikachu packed up their belongings and left the Messelburge Town Pokémon centre and headed to their next destination, home.

Once they reached the confines of the forest, Brock questioned Ash. "So, do you plan on telling me what's wrong?"

"Well, I was thinking." Ash paused for a minute and Pikachu hopped down from his shoulder where he had previously been looking up at his trainer from a better angle. "All this time I saw my dad as a bad guy. I thought he left my mom when she told him she was pregnant, and she felt that way too. I heard her talking one night to Professor Oak about him but she doesn't know I heard. To suddenly find out he was really one of the good guys, one of the best guys. It's a lot to handle you know. And that woman was right. I am a lot like him. But not just in looks. I'm as stupid as him too."

"Stupid?" Brock interjected. He stopped walking and placed a hand on his friends shoulder, making him stop too.

Ash didn't turn around when he continued. "He was stupid. Running off trying to save the day. Going up against all those enemies. It was stupid, he had to know that he wouldn't get out of there, not if he knew the guy he was fighting. And then using Aura. He's obviously had no training yet he went and used it anyway. He killed himself trying to use it."

"He killed himself trying to protect his Pokémon. Trying to protect that town. How is that any different to what you do? To what you have done?" Ash didn't respond straight away, and Brock could tell why. His shoulders were shacking.

"That's my point. That is exactly the kind of thing I would do. He's so stupid. I'm so stupid. We risk our lives for others not thinking about the people that we're going to leave behind. Not thinking about the consequences of our actions. We barrel into danger not thinking about...just not thinking." Ash spun around so quickly that Brock's hand flew off his shoulder and jolted his arm. "We don't think. We know the kind of danger we are getting ourselves into. We know the pain we're going to inflict on ourselves. But we don't think about the pain we could inflict on others."

At this, Brock couldn't help but smile. His best friend was growing up. The immature little 10 years old that he had known for the past 7 years was gone, having been replaced somewhere along the way by this 17 year old almost-man in front of him. Ash had finally grown up. Even if he was being a little immature about it. "You're afraid that because of your similarities to your father you're going to end up the same way he is."

At Brock's statement the younger boy collapsed to the floor in the middle of the path. "Yes." He mumbled. Now he looked more like the 10year old Brock remembered, but still, the 17year old was still there.

"Ash, you are very much alike to your father. But that's it. You're alike. Not identical. Just because he ended up in a certain position doesn't mean you are going too as well." No response came from the boy sat on the boy sat on the floor, but when he did speak it was something really random.

"What do you think happened to Jolteon?"


End file.
